


Hacked

by Aknolan



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, F/F, Hurt No Comfort, Nobody dies but that's as hopeful as it gets, Watts is here to be an asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28862820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aknolan/pseuds/Aknolan
Summary: Watts taunts Ruby about falling in love with Penny.
Relationships: Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose
Kudos: 9





	Hacked

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this a couple of days ago and figured I'd post it now.

"Oh well look what we have here, you must have been protecting the robot then."  
  
Ruby gritted her teeth. She had gone outside to investigate the problem with the lights, it seemed she'd found the cause. She pointed Crescent Rose at Watts. "Don't call her that."  
  
"Hmm," Watts seemed entirely unconcerned and that only made him more infuriating, "should I not call a sword a sword, or call a gun a gun? Just because this one's got a name, doesn't mean it's not a robot."  
  
Taking deep breaths was supposed to be calming, but Ruby's anger didn't leave her. There was too much of it. "What. Do. You. Want."  
  
"Oh not much. I'm just here to collect a winter maiden. It should be easy enough." Watts held out a scroll, waving it around and then putting it back in his pocket.  
  
Fine. If he was here to take Penny, he could do so over Ruby's dead body. She rushed forward, swinging crescent rose at him and it met -  
  
Metal.  
  
A sword.  
  
A very familiar sword. And although Ruby knew what she would see, knew it would break her heart in two, she looked up. Such a familiar face and yet not a trace of Penny. Her green blood still leaking out in some places, but Penny didn't seem to notice. No concern, no pain. Even before noticing the red eyes, it was clear as day. Penny wasn't in control.  
  
With their weapons still locked in place against eachother, Ruby looked Penny in the eyes and spoke, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Penny, please, you don't have to listen to him. I know you're still in there, you're still _you_. You have to come back to me."  
  
And maybe Ruby imagined it, but she could have sworn she saw Penny's expression change for just a moment, even a flicker of green in her eyes. Before the emptiness returned. And before a snicker reached her ears.  
  
"You really love the robot don't you? And you even think it can love you back. As if a few words can encourage it to gain free will. Quite foolish, aren't you?"  
  
Never in her life had Ruby felt the need to punch someone as much as she did right then. " _She's_ a person, and you're going to let her go."  
  
The arrogant bastard only chuckled at her statement. "Now where's the fun in that?"  
  
Before Ruby could respond an explosion from inside Schnee Manor shook the ground they stood on and Cinder flew past them.  
  
Watts still smiled. "I believe we've all learned a valuable lesson about getting attached to robots, but I really must take my leave now."  
  
This was her only chance to help Penny. She needed to act now. She activated her semblance, rushing towards Watts and taking the scroll from his pocket, before rushing away from both him and Penny. Then, rather than hoping she could figure out whatever Watts had done to Penny fast eno7gh, she destroyed the scroll.  
  
By the time she looked up again, Watts and Penny were in an airship. The smug bastard waved at her with a different scroll. "It really is too easy to get you people riled up!"  
  
And then they were gone.

She had lost Penny again. She had known what was happening and still failed to save Penny, again. And she had no plan to rescue her. She thought it was supposed to be different this time, she was supposed to be better at this. This shouldn't have ended the same way again.

But it did, and once again Ruby found herself falling to her knees and crying after losing Penny.


End file.
